Have you ever issued commands to you/To quit the things that you like to do,/And then, when tempted and sorely swayed,/Those rigid orders have you obeyed?
Wowie! What a poem! Thanks so much for this. Will share with doh, asap. 🙂
You know, Jesus was harsh with the Pharisees for making requirements of their recruits that they, themselves, were not willing to live up to. Hmm. Lotsa that goin’ on.
Me? I can quit ANYTHING for a few minutes. Sighs. I used to be better, follow through better. Does the will power weaken with everything else in old age? Best to get good habits ingrained before then, huh?

Quitting the things that should be quit, all folks know something about. Only those of us who couldn’t do it ourselves, get the grit. I can’t remember reading this before, but I do remember his Creed – so fitting that the words of a transparent man would be so honestly shared. Thanks, Jen.

My Creed
To live as gently as I can;
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill
And cling to faith and honor still;
To do my best, and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me
Still work and hope for victory.
To have no secret place wherein
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I’m alone
As when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted, unafraid
Of any step that I have made;
To be without pretense or sham,
Exactly what men think I am.
To leave some simple mark behind,
To keep my having lived in mind;
If enmity to aught I show,
To be an honest, generous foe,
To play my little part, nor whine
That greater honors are not mine.
This, I believe, is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.

Edgar Guest! My family’s Poet Laureate! “My Pa Said So” was my Grandfather’s favorite poem and he read it to us frequently. It almost broke my heart when, years later, i found out he was an object of ridicule in poetry circles…

I often HATE the Poetry community! I have more of a home with the Poetry Slam Tribe. There is SO much pretension in the ‘regular’ Poet Land and it is all only so much hot air. Some of my favorite poets are ‘hacks’ when some of the ‘best poets’ are writing only for a teeny pretentious group. I love Poetry Magazine and find a lot of new Poets I like. I LOVE reading the asinine letters to the editors. They crack me up with their wonky judgements.

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About this blog

My mother was a long time alcoholic living with Wernicke-Korsakoff; alcoholics dementia. She died November 30th, 2011. Cause of death: Chronic Alcoholism.

My mother was only 67 when the dementia became a daily hindrance; it had been a problem for at least a decade earlier. It was not diagnosed until she was 69.

She was non-verbal and unable to eat solid foods. She was an intelligent woman no longer able to form new short-term memories. She was living on a secured floor of a nursing home; all thanks to her alcoholics dementia.

Very little is written about alcoholics dementia and it is rarely correctly diagnosed. I believe there are a few reasons for this: alcoholics tend to lie about their usage and children of alcoholics are often alcoholics themselves. diagnosed soon enough and treated correctly, the damage done by Wernicke-Korsakoff can be slowed.

The person suffering must admit they are an alcoholic, quit drinking, go through a medical detox and begin intense Thiamine therapy. Few alcoholics are willing to admit or change their behavior.

Alcohol use is, in my opinion, is one of the curses of our culture. It is a totally socially acceptable way to kill yourself slowly while putting others in harm's way. Alcoholism does more than just harm the drunk; it destroys families too.

I am hoping to clear the air about alcoholics dementia. I will chronicle my mothers decline and how my family has managed to survive intact through it all.

I will not candy coat my experience or that of my mother. This is not a happy story and it is unlikely there will be a happy ending.* (This was written before the death of my mother. There is NOT a happy ending)

This is a cautionary tale. I hope it will be of help to those who live with alcoholics, are active alcoholics and those who are in recovery.